Aerial-tramway bucket



Dec. 13, 1927.

.1,652,209 M. P. MORRISON AERIAL TRAMWAY BUCKT v Filed F'eb. 25, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 W50 @l Q Dec. 13, 1927. '1,652,209

M. P. MORRISON AERIAL TRAMWAY BUCKET Filed Feb. 25, 19.2"/V 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 mse: jemm aan M 7 /lfx P. @OEE/50N,

Dec. 13, 1927. 1,652,209

M. P. MORRISON AERIAL TRAMWAY BUCKET Filed Feb, 25, 1927 4 sheets-sheet 5 /'//%r /Df Maiale/Sav,

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'Patented Dec. 13, 1927.`V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAX '.P. MORRISON, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN STEEL AND WIRE COMPANY OF NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION F NEW JERSEY.

AERIAL-TRAlllWAYw BUCKET.

Application led February 25, 1927. Serial No. 170,862.

This invention relates to aerial tramways rigidly supporta bucket body 12 having an and more particularly to aerial tramway inclined bottom 13 and a hinged back wall buckets, and has for 'one of its objects the 14 adapted to be swung outwardly by the ovision of an improved tripping mechaweight of the load in the bucket when'the .5 nism for tripping the locking latches on load is discharged. 60 such buckets automatically upon a reverse The back wall 14 is normally locked `in movement of the bucket on the tramway, closed position by latches 15 which are pivthus dispensing with the use of the usual otally mounted on brackets 1G .secured to the releaseV devices heretofore employed. bottom wall of the bucket and which engage in Another object is to provide an improved latch pins 15 on the back wall 14. A latch 65 tripping mechanism w ich may be trippedA operating shaft 17 is journaled in the brackat any desired point along the length of the ets 16 and carries cam members 18 which are tramway selected by the operator without secured thereto and are adapted to engage adjusting or resetting the mechanism. and raise the `latches .15 when the shaft 17 15 A further object .is to provide an improved is rotated. An operatinglever 19 is mounted 7o tripping mechanism having` the novel design, on the shaft 17 andbolted or otherwise seconstruction, and combination of parts here-l cured to one of the caml members 18. The inafter described and illustrated in the aclever 19 has its one end pivotally concompanying drawings. y nected to a link 2O which in turn is con- 2o In the drawingsnec-ted to Ia lever 21 keyed or otherwise se- 75 Figure l1 is a side elevation of a tramway cured to a shaft 22 journaled in brackets 23 bucket having my invention applied: thereto. at the top `of the bucket body. A second Figure 2 is a forward side elevation of the lever 24 is also keyed or otherwise secured bucket of Figure 1, with the carriage secto the shaft 22 and connected by a link 25 25 tioned to show details of construction. to one arm of a crank lever 26 mounted on so Figure 3 is an enlarged partial side elevaa supporting pivot pin 27. The other arm tion of the bucket carriage. of the crank lever 26 is connected to a con- Fi re 4 is a sectional elevation taken on necting link 28, which inturn is connected the line V-IV of Figure 3. to one end of a chain 29, the other end of 3 Fi re 5 is a sectional elevation taken on lwhich is secured to a chain wheel 30 jour- 85 the line V-V of Figure 3. vnaled on the front axle shaft 7.

1Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional plan When the wheel 30 is rotated in a countertaken on the line VI--Vl of Figure 4, showclockwise direction it will take up the chain ing the tripping pawl and ratchet mecha- 29 so as to pull on the crank 26 thusvlifting nism. v link 25 and lever 24 and rocking shaft 22 so 90 Referring more particularly to the drawas to raise lever 21 and link 20. The link ings, the numeral 2 designates the aerial 2O in turn will raise the lever 19 and rock tramway track cable on which the bucket A. the shaft 17 so as to cause the cam members is adapted to be propelled by a traction or 18 to engage and raise the latch members l 40 haulage rope 3 which rope is secured by a 15 and release the back wall 1li of the bucket o5 clamp 4 to the bucket A. body.

The bucket A comprises a wheeled car- The front axle shaft which has its wheel riage B composed of a saddle frame 5 'sup- 8 keyed thereon serves as the power or opported on truck frames 6 in which are jourerating shaft for voperating the tripping naled axle shafts 7. The axle shafts 7 have mechanism and, therefore, isof materially 10o ooved wheels 8 thereon. The front axle greater length than the other axle shafts. shaft'? in the forward truck of the carriage The chain wheel 30, which is journaled for .serves as the operating shaft for the tripfree rotation on the front axle shaft, is proping mechanism (to be described) and, there vided with a pair of spaced brackets or ears fore, the wheel on this shaft at least is '32 which are apertured to receiveA a pivot 105 keyed thereto by a key 9 so that the shaft pin 33. A. pawl housing 34 is mounted bevwill rotate as the `carriage moves along the tween the ears 32 `and pivotally supported cable 2. on the pivot pin 33.' A paw] 35 is recip- A pair of bucket supporting hangers 10 rocably mounted within and projects are suspended from the saddle frame 5 and through the open end of the housing 34; and 110 is slotted to clear the pivot pin 33. A coil spring 36 is mounted within the housing 34 and has one end engaged on a guide lug 37 form-ed integral with the housing, while its other end is engaged over a guide lug 38 on the end of the pawl 35. llhe 'spring 36 is adapted to normally hold the pawl in eX- tended position.

' A one-tooth ratchet member 39 is keyed on the front axle shaft by a key 39l1 and is adapted to engage and force the pawl 35 inwardly/.against the spring 36 so as to ride past the pawl when the bucket is propelled in the forward direction, due to the vbeveled face 40 of the ratchet. rlhe ratchet member 39 is also provided with a square tace or tooth portion 4l which, when the. bucket is moved in the reverse direction, will engage the pawl 35 and ca use the pawl to move therewith. When the pawl 35 is rotated with the ratchet 39 the housing 34 and con` sequently the chain wheel 30 will be rotated therewith so as to' take up the chain 29 and operate the lever mechanism to release latch members l5.

A housing 42 is mounted on the forward truck and encloses the upper portion of the chain wheel 30 and its associated mechanism.

ln order to limit the rotation of the chain wheel 30, a cam member 43 is provided which is secured to the housing 4Q and ein tends into thel path of the pawl housing 34. As the ratchet 39 rotates the pawl, pawl housing and chain wheel` the pawl housing 34 will ride up on the stationary cam member 43 until it is tilted about its pivotal supporting pinw33 a sutlicient amount to move 'the pawl"3,`5 out of engagement with the ratchet'39jat which time the rotation of the chain wheel in a counter-clockwise direction will stop.

The chain wheel 30 is provided with an integral counterweight formed by making one segment thereof materially heavier than the remainder, as at 45'. The portion 45 of the wheel 30 is normally at the bottom of the wheel and when the wheel is rotated by the operation of the ratchet 39 and pawl the portion 45 willbe raised, so that when the pawl 35 is released by the rocking or tilting of the housing 34, the counterweight 45 and the weight of the latch lever operat- .ing mechanism will 'combine to return the wheel 30 to its normal position so as to permit thel latches 15 to again engage the latch pins l5 when the back wall 14 of the bucket body resumes its closed position After the pawl housing 34 has been tilted to free the pawl 35, it remains in its tilted position during the return movement of the chain wheel30 and during the reverse travel ot the bucket so that the pawl is not operated by the ratchet Vduring the return movement of lthe bucket.

A reset crank lever 48 is pivotally mountnesaaoe ed on the housing 42 and extends through a slot in the housingso that when the lever is rocked about its mounting it will engage and move the tilted pawl housing 34 back into its horizontal 35 will be engaged by the ratchet 39. The lever 48 is normally held out of engagement with the pawl housing 34 by a, coil spring 43.

A trip weight 50 is suspended from above the track cable 2 at the loading end of the tramway into the path of the lever 48 so that as the bucket is started' on its forward or load carrying travel, the lever 48 will engage the weight 50 and be caused to rock to reset the pawl housing 34.

The present arrangement of tripping mechanism is operable at any selected point along the length of the tramway, and with the exception of the tripping weight, is all mounted on the bucket itself so as to eliminate the necessity for overhead vtripping ranes and the like as heretofore generally use While l have shown and described one speciiic embodiment of my invention` it will be understood that ll do not wish to be limited thereto since various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

l claim* l. 7lhe combination with an aerial tramway bucket, comprising the usual carriage having a bucket member suspended therefrom, supporting wheels on said carriage, shafts for said wheels', and at least one ot said wheels being keyed to its shaft, of a latch and latch operati-ng mechanism carried by said bucket, said latch operating mechanism comprising a lever mechanism, and means operable by said shaft having a supporting wheel keyed thereto for operating said lever mechanism, said means including an operating wheel journaled on said last named wheel shaft, a flexible connection between said operating wheel and said lever mechanism to release said latch when said operating wheel is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, means operablev by said last named shaft tor rotating said operating wheel in a counter-clockwise direction when said bucket is moved in the reverse direction, ysaid means being inoperative while said bucket is moving in the forward or load carrying direction.

Q. The combination with an aerial tramway bucket, comprising the usual carriage having a bucket member suspendedtherefrom, supporting wheels on said carriage, shafts 'for said wheels, and at least one of` vsaid wheels being keyed to its shaft, of a latch and latch operating mechanism carried by said bucket., said latch operating mechanism comprising a lever mechanism` and means operable by said shaft having the position, where the pawl lll! lill) or load-carrying i matically returning said shaft, said ratchet 'pivotally mounted on said supporting Wheel keyed thereto for operatcluding an operating wheel journaled on said last named wheel shaft, a flexible connection between said operating Wheel and said ylever mechanism to release said latch when said operating Wheel is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, means` operable by said last named shaft forrotating said operating Wheel in a counter-clockwise direction when said bucket is moved in the reverse direction, said means being inoperative While said bucket is moving in the forward operating Wheel to its normal position. i

3. The combination with an laerial tramway bucket, `comprising the usual carriage having a bucket member suspended therefrom, supporting' Wheels on said carriage, shafts for said vheels, and at least one of said wheels being keyed to its shaft, of a latch and latch operating mechanism carried by said bucket, said latch operating mechanism comprising a lever mechanism,

and means operable by said shaft having the supporting -Wheel keyed thereto for operating said lever mechanism, said means including an operating Wheel iournaled on said last named Wheel shaft, a flexible connection between said operating Wheel and said lever mechanism and adapted to operate said lever mechanism to release said latch When said operating Wheel is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, a paWl housing pivotally'mounted on said operating Wheel, a palwl reciprocably mounted in said housing, a ratchet carried on said last named being adapted to reciprocatev and ride past said pavvl when said bucket is moved in the forward or load carrying direction, and being adapted to engage said pawl and rotate said operating Wheel when said bucket is moved in the reverse direction.

4. The combination with an aerial tram- Way bucket, comprising the usual-carriage having a bucket member suspendedv therefrom, supporting Wheels on said carriage, shafts for said Wheels, and at least one of said vvheels being keyed to its shaft, of a latch and latch operating mechanism carried by said bucket, said latch operating mechanism'comprising a lever mechanism, and means operable by said shaft having the supporting Wheel keyed thereto for operating said lever mechanismLsaid means in'- cluding an operating wheel journale'd on said last named Wheel shaft, a flexible connection between said operating Wheel and said lever mechanism and adapted to operate said lever mechanism to release said latch when said operating Wheel .is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction,

operating wheel,

direction, means for auto-v a pawl housing' a pawl reciprocably mounted in said housing, a ratchet carriedon said last named shaft, said ratchet being adapted to reciprocate and ride past said paWl when said bucket is moved in the forward or load carrying direction, and being adapted to engage said pawl and rotatesaid operating Wheel when said bucket is moved in the reverse direction, means for automatically releasing said pawl from said ratchet, and means for automatically returning said operating Wheel to, normal position when said pawl is released from said ratchet.

5. The combination with an aerial tramway bucket, comprising the usual carriage having a bucket member suspended therefrom, supporting Wheels on said carriage., shafts for said Wheels, and at least one of said Wheels being keyed to its shaft, of a latch and latch operating mechanism carried by said bucket, said latch operating mechanism comprising a lever mechanism, and means operable by said shaft having the supporting Wheel keyed thereto for operating said lever mechanism, said means including an operating AWheel ]ournaled on said last named Wheel shaft, a flexible connection between saidoperating Wheel and said lever` mechanism and adapted to operate said lever mechanism to release said latch When said operating Wheel is clockwise direction, a pavvl housing pivotally mounted on said operating Wheel, a pavvl reciprocably mounted in said housing, a ratchet carried on said last named shaft, said ratchet being adapted to reciprocate and ride past said paWl When said bucket is moved in the forward or load carrying direction, and being adapted to engage said awl and rotate said operating Wheel when said bucket is moved 1n the reverse direction, a housing supported on said carriage and partly enclosing said operating Wheel and its associated parts, a stationary cam carried on said housing and said last named shaft.l said cam being adapted to rock said `paWl housing about its pivotal mounting so as to move said pawl out of engagement with said ratchet, and a counterweight for automatically returning said operating Wheel to normal position when said pawl is moved out of engagement with said ratchet.

6. The combination with an aerial tram- Way bucket, comprising the usual carriage having a bucket member suspended therefrom, supporting Wheels on said carriage, shafts for said Wheels, and at least one of said Wheels being keyed to its shaft, of a latch and latch operating mechanism carried by said bucket, said latch operating mechanism comprising a lever mechanism, and means operable by said shaft having the sup-` porting wheel keyed thereto for operating said lever mechanism, said means including an operating wheel journaled on said rotated in a counterlast named wheel shaft, a flexible connection between said operating Wheel and said lever mechanism and adapted to operate said lever mechanism to Wise direction, a pawl housing pivotally mounted on said operating wheel, a pawl reciprocably mounted in said housing, a ratchet carried on said last named shaft, said ratchet being adapted to reciprocate and ride past said pawl When said bucket is moved in they forward or load carrying direction, and being adapted to engage said pawl rand rotate said operating vWheel when said bucket is moved in the reverse direction, a housing supported on said carriage and release said latch When said operating wheel is rotated in a counter-clockmegane partly enclosing said operating wheel and its associated parts,

a stationary cam carried on said housing and said last named shaft, said cam being adapted to rock said pawl housing about its pivotal mounting so as to move said pawl out of engagement with said ratchet, a counterweight for automatically returning'said operating Wheel to normal position when said paw] is moved out of engagement With said ratchet, and means for automatically returning said pawl` housing to normal position so thatsaid pawl will be again engaged by said ratchet.

in "Witness whereof, have hereunto signed my naine.

MAX P. MORRXSON. 

